Rusty Costanza / The Times-PicayuneOchsner Health System says it is closing its in vitro fertilization center because of a number of problems found during an independent audit.

Dr. Patrick Quinlan says the audit found that an embryologist, whom he did not name, had an extremely high error rate and did work considered "far below industry standards."

Quinlan says that problem makes it impossible to use frozen embryos for 15 patients. He also says they're suggesting that all of their patients -- 53 couples -- have their embryos genetically tested before implanting any.

He says no problems were detected in the vast majority of the center's frozen embryos.

The health system suspended operation of the fertilization center last month after concerns arose that some of its frozen embryos may have been mislabeled.